Statistical, calculating, and like machine controlled by mechanical records



March 6, 1928.

A. THOMAS STATISTICAL, CALCULATING, AND LIKE MACHINE CONTROLLED BY MECHANICAL RECORDS Filed y 11. 1927 4 Sheets-Shegt l Izaezatoz 1.4 fldfifdaj March 6, 1928. 7 1,661,684

A. THOMAS STATISTICAL, CALCULATING, AND LIKE MACHINE CONTROLLED BY MECHANICAL RECORDS Filed y 11. 1927 4 SheetsSheet 2 O 24 12a 0 (in Z011 flaws.

1 March 6, 1928. 1,661,684

A. THCMAS STATISTICAL, CALCULATING, AND LIKE MACHINE CONTROLLED BY MECHANICAL RECORDS Filed 'July 11. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 41 Jzvven/ $012 fl. Til/0122605.

STATISTICAL, CALCULATING, AND LIKE MACHINE CONTROLLED BY MECHANICAL RECORDS Filed July 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 flveiziaz Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR TI oMAs, or THORNTON HEATH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOB To THE ACCOUNTING & TABULATING CORPORATION or GT. BRITAIN, LIMITED, LONDON, ENGLAND.

STATISTICAL, CALCULATING, AND LIKE MACHINE CONTROLLED BY MECHANICAL RECORDS.

Application filed July 11, 1927, Serial No. 204,850, and in- Great Britain February 8, 1926.

This invention relates to statistical, calculating and like machines which are controlled by mechanical records bearing indentations, perforations or the like, of the type in which the records are sensed while stationary.

The invention consists in a statistical, calculating or like machine of the kind indicated having two sensing stages in which the w first stage is for group sensing-{feud itself actuates mechanism which has the duel function of taking a total automatically either on the omission or on the addition of one or more indentations, perforations or the like in one or more columns of the record.'

The invention also consists in apparatus for attachment to a statistical, calculating or like machine having one sensing stage of the kind indicated, apparatus including a 2 sensing stage for group detecting and mech anism controlled thereby for takinga total automatically on the omission or addition of one or more indentations, perforations or the like.

The invention consists in the improvements hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention in the form of an attachment for a tabulating machine as described in the specification of British Patent No. 26896 of 1913.

Figure 1 is a skeleton elevation of the attachment;

Figure 2 is a section through the designation pin box;

Figure 3 is a view of Figure looking in the direction of the arrow on Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view of Figure 3 in the isjmounted the card magazine, 3, and its picker feed mechanism. In addition to the ordinary pin box, 4,.a designation pin box,

5, is mounted onthe bracket, 1, between the pin box, 4, and the card picker feed, the dual function of which is to detect any change of designation; in the card whether by the addition or the omission of one ormore holes in one or more rows.

1 It will be seen 'from'Figure 1 that this ity of. ten rows of'twelve pins in each rowand is composed of two side plates, 10 and 11, which are provided with projecting pieces, 13, having bushes, 14, therein which slide upon cross rods, 15, Figure 6, mounted upon frames, 16, at each end which slide upon vertical guides, 17. In this manner the pin box can be moved horizontally to cover any desired portion of the card which is required to be used for designation purposes.

These side plates arevsecurel joined together by means of horizontal p ates, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24, which are perforated to form frames for the sensing pins which are composed of three parts, the lower, 25,'intermediate, 26, and upper, 27. The lower pins, 25 are provided with flanges at the top which rest on the plate, 23, while their lower portions are guided in the plate, 24. -The intermediate pins, 26, have reduced portions at their lower ends and rest upon the flanges of the pins, 25, and are guided at their upper portions in plate, 22. The upper pins, 27, are guided in the two lates, 20 and 21, and are provided with fl iinges,- 28, which are pressed by springs, 29, on to the plate, 21. These pins, 27 also press. the pins, 25 and 26, downwards.

Just above the plate, 23, is a resetting plate, 30, which islpierced with holes so that the reduced portions of the ins, 26, pass there'through while the oulders formed by the reduced portions rest upon the plate, 30. This plate is provided at each corner with rojections, 31, which pass through holes 111 ,the side plates, 10 and, 11',

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and are freeto slide up and down but are prevented from moving horizontally by the side plates.

On; the outsideof the two plates, 10 and 11, are two lifting plates, 32 and 33, whlch are-provided with pins, 34, on-the uppermost portion which project inwards thropgh slots in the plates, 10 and 11. The pins are provided with rollers which rest on arms, 35,

which are pivoted to, the side plates, 10 and 11, and are provided with slots, 36. The lower portion of each plate, 32, 33, is tri-' angular in shape and the two corners are provided with inwardly projecting teeth, 37, which are situated just below the projections, 31, on the plate, 30, whereby the latter plate is raised.

The two lifting plates, 32 and 33, are provided with cross members, 42 and 43, so as to keep them rigidly spaced apart, the cross member, 43, passing through slots in the two plates, 10 and 11, while the member, 42, passes outside the two side plates. Mounted upon the two plates, 32 and 33, are projecting studs, 38, to which are attached springs, 39, the other ends of which are attached to studs, 40, which are fixed to the plates, 10 and 11, and pass through holes, 41, in the plates, 32 and 33. These sprmgs keep the lifting plates in their down position.

Resting on the plate, 30, are a number of designation registering members, 45, al1 of which are identical formed by strips of .metal provided with projections,46 and 47,

which extend horizontally between the inter: mediate sensing pins, 26, there being one designation registering member for each sensing pin, 26. The designation registering members and the sensing pins are parallel to one another and are arranged collaterally in rows. Between the designation registering members, 45, and the sensing pins, 26, of each row, a locking bar, 48, and a testing bar, 49, are placed. The locking bars, 48, are providedwith a number of L-shaped slots, 50, which co-operate with the projections, 46. The bars, '48, are joined together by common rods, 55, and can slide horizontally upon guides, 56. The testing bars, 49, are provided with a number of vertical slots 52, which co-operate with the projections,

47. The bars, 49, slide horizontally upon guides, 53. Each bar, 49, can be connected by the hook pawl, 44, to a bar, 54, on which all the hookpawls are mounted.

The two end locking bars, 48, are provided with slots, 59, in which pins on the vertical arms of the bell crank levers, 57, slide, the connection being made through the springs 60, which are connected to the rods, 55; the levers, 57, are themselves pivoted at 58,. to the end plates, 10 and 11. The other ends of the bell crank levers enter slots in the cross members, 42 and 43, so that when the lifting plates, 32, 33, are raised the bell crank levers swing about the points, 58, and slide all the bars, 48, to the right of Figure 2, thus unlocking the designation registering members, 45. There is a slight clearance between the teeth, 37, and the plate, 30, to allow the locking plates, 48, to be withdrawn from the projections, 46, before the resetting plate, 30, is lifted.

The intermediate pins, 26, are provide; with slots, 61, which co-operate with the projections, 47, such that when the bars, 49, are moved to the left of Figure 2 the projections, 47, are pulled into the slots, 61.

The levers, 35, are raised by means'of a common bar, 65, which runs along parallel to the horizontal guide bars, 15, and is operated by means hereinafter described.

The pin box is given a vertical up and down movement by means of connecting rods, 70, (Figures 5 and 6) connected to the frames, 16. These connecting rods are mounted on eccentrics, 71, on the shaft, 7 2, mounted on the bracket, 1, which is driven by means of a pinion, 7 3, fixed thereon which engages with a quadrant, 7 4, pivotally mounted upon the bearing pin, '7 5. The quadrant, 74. has a projection, 76, extending beyond the teeth, which engages with a pin or roller, 77, mounted upon a crank, 78, which is rigidly fixed upon the shaft. 79, mounted on the bracket, 1, which is driven continuously and rotates once for every cycle of the tabulator. The quadrant is held pressed up'against the pin, 77, by means of a spring, 81, connected to an extension, 82, on the quadrant.

The crank, 78, and the quadrant, 74, give a one-Way drive to the shaft, 72, by means of thepinion, 73. which is provided with a projection, 66, which engages with a slot in a collar. 67, mounted rigidly upon the shaft, 72. This projection, 66, drives in one direction but on rotating in the other direction by means of the spring, 81, is permitted to slide endwise on the shaftby means of the spring, 68, and reengages on the next forward stroke.

The quadrant, 74, is provided with a pin, or stop; 83, which is so arranged that at the extreme position of the travel of the quadrant a lever member, 84, which is pivoted at 85, can be moved in the path of the pin. 83-, by means of a roller, 86, which makes contact with the cam, 87, mounted upon the shaft, 88, mounted on the bracket, 1. This arrangement prevents the quadrant, 74, from returning when a change of designation occurs.

1 Also mounted on the shaft, 72, is a pair of eccentrics, 89, which operate connecting rods, 90, which extend to the card picker for feeding cardsfto the designation pinz'box.

The shaft, 79, is provided witha pinion, 92, which engages with a pinion, 93, mounted upon the shaft, 88. The gears are so proportioned that the shaft, 88, will rotate one revolution for every two revolutions of the shaft, 79. The pinion, 93, has two teeth missing so that when this blankspace is exactly opposite to the teeth of the pinion, 92, this pinion will rotate freely and not drive the wheel, 93.

On the pinion, 93, is mounted a finger, 94, which projects into the blank space. This finger is arranged to engage with a projection, 95, on a lever, 96, Which is pivoted at 97, to the cam, 98. This lever is provided with a spring, 99, which is so disposed that it holds the projection, 95, in its-outward position. This projection, 95, as it revolves makes contact with the finger, 94, and rotates the wheel, 93, so that the teeth on 92 re-engage the teeth on 93, and the shaft, 88, will be rotated.

Fixed to the shaft, 100, which can rotate freely in the frame of the machine, is a long lever, 101, having a roller, 102, at its end which engages with the cam, 98, mounted upon the shaft, 79, and held in contact therewith by a spring; The lever is also provided with a projecting piece, 103, which when the roller, 102 falls into the slot in the cam, 98, makes contact with a pin, 104, upon the lever, 96, and presses the projection, 95, inwards 'so that as it rotates" it misses-the finger, 94, and does not rotate the wheel, 93. Also fixed to the shaft, 100, are testing levers,'105, which are attached to the rods, 54, (Figure 2), which by means'of pawls, 44, reciprocate the testing bars, 49.

The operation is as follows:

If the lever, 101, is not allowed to move inwards its projection Will' miss the pin, 104. If, however, the lever is allowed to move inwards, as soon as the camallows it to do so, its projection, 103, will fall in the path of the'pin, 104, and upon the further rotation of the cam in the direction of the arrowwill cause the lug, 95, to be depressed as it passes the piece, 94, and so miss it.

The tabulator pin box, 4, 'is of the ordi nary type mounted in vertical guides and raised and lowered by cams which act on rollers, 121. V v p According to the present invention, these rollers, 121, are-mounted upon levers, 122, pivoted to the frame of the, pinbox, 123. The ends, 124, of the levers engage slots in locking members, l25,-'fixedto the rotatable shaft, 126. This shaft, 126, is provided with an arm, 127, which engages a pro'ec-.

tion, 128, ona rocking arm, 129, pivote at 130. This arm is provided with a roller, 131, engaging a cam, 132, on the shaft, 88. Springs, 133, press the locking members into. engagement with the ends, 124, of the levers, 122. v

The cam shaft, 88, is driven as previously Stated only during the total-taking cycle and in order to operate the usual total-taking operations of the tabulator is provided with a cam, 135, (Figure 6) which operates the total-taking lever, 119, by means of a rocker arm, 136, having an upturned projection, 137, at its end. Also mounted upon the cam shaft, 88, is a cam, 138, which coacts with a roller, 139,-on lever arm, 140, the other end of which is connected to the link, 141, which operates the rod, 65, for the purpose of lifting the plates, 32, in the resetting operation.

The principle upon which the machine operates is that a record is taken of the card by mechanical means, which represents exactly the arrangement of the perforations forming the designating group in the card. This .record is taken afresh during each total operation at'theend of a group and is re-- tained in the mechanism'throughout the normal action of the machine as followsz- When. the designation pin box descends the majority ofpins, 26, will be lifted up by the card, the remainder passing through the perforations forming the designation group inthe card. The resetting plate, 30, is then lifted to raise all the pins, 26, together with designation registering members, 45, until allthe projections, 47 are in line with all theslots, 61. The testing bars, 49, are then moved so as to insert all the projections into their respective slots in the pins, 26'. Next, the resetting plate is lowered so that the pins, 26, together with the designation registering members, 45, assume 7 their position according to the arrangement of the perforations in the card. The locking plate,'48, is then. moved so as to lock the projections, 46, in their upper 01"10W61 position corresponding to their respective .continues its normal course Should the sensed reading difierin' any'res ect from .that recorded by the addition an /or omission of one or more perforations in one or, more columns of the card, the total mechanism is caused to commence ts operation.

The operation of the machine is as follows Vhen the machine is in operation and cards are running through, the pin box de-' scends at every stroke and remains in itslowest position duringthe return stroke of the quadrant, 74. While there atrest, the testing lever, 105,- attempts to move across,

, rest, the lever member, 84, remains clear of mence another stroke.

and if the card agrees with the recorded setting the projecting piece, 103, on the long lever, 101, throws the pro ection, 95, clear of the finger, 94, and therefore cam-shaft, 88, remains at rest. As theshaft, 88, is at pin, 83, and the quadrant returns to com- When a card is sensed in the designation pin box which has a different designation or arrangement of perforations to the one recorded upon the designation, registering members, 45, one or more. projections, 47, will not be opposite to the slots,'61', in the sensing pins, 26, and therefore the testing bars, 49, cannot move. The arm, 105, and shaft, 100, together with the long lever, 101, thusremain stationary, and the lever, 101, does not therefore move the lever, 96. Consequently the projection, 95, makes contact with the finger, 94, and the pinion, 92, will engage the wheel, 93, causing the cam shaft,

88, to commence to rotate for the totaltaking operation.

The rotation of the cam shaft, 88, causes the following operations to take place (1) The cam, 132, operates through the levers, 129, and '127, to release the roller,

'121, so that the tabulating pin box is not raised and remains in its lowest position.

(2) The cam, 87, operates the lever, 84, so that its end is moved into the path of the pin, 83, and the sector, 74, is thus locked. This stops rotation of the shaft, 72, with a consequent stopping of the card-feed picker and the reciprocating movement of the designation pin box, thus holding the card therein. w

(3) The cam, 135, operates the lever, 136, and presses the total-taking plunger of the tabulator, thus setting the machine for takinga total. The machine makes two complete cycles in accordance with the well known principle of-tot-al-taking.

(4) The cam, 138, operates the lever, 140 and 141, so as to lift the plates, 32, 33, and reset the designation registering members, 45, by unlocking the bars, 48, to take a record of the new card which has been in the pin box during the total-taking cycle and bears'the new designation. 1

With the present invention any number of perforations in a single column can be used for designating purposes and the omission or addition of one or more perforations in one or more columns will cause a total to be taken automatically, since the designation of each card is compared at each cycle with the setting of the recording elements which were set on the first card of the group. entering the designation sensing pin box. Any change whatever is thus made to take a total.

Although the invention has been described 'by wayof example as an attachment to a cover the case of indentations, embossments' or the like.

' Having now described myinvention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a tabulating machine of the character described, the combination with feeding mechanism and mechanism for sensing the data on arecord when the record is stationary, of a second designation sensing mechanism constructed as a unit and attachable to the machine and positioned between the said feeding mechanism and the first sensing mechanism and including a frame, meansfor mounting the frame so that it is capable of vertical movement and including means for permitting adjustment of the frame transversely of the line of feed,designation registering members arranged in said frame, sensing pins also arranged in said frame and positionedin collateral rows with the designation registering members, means for setting said pins and members, means for lockmg said members, means for testing said pins and members, and mechanism operable from the main shaft of the machine and operably connected with the frame, the setting means and the testing means.

2. In a statistical, calculating and like machine controlled by mechanical records of the kind indicated, the combination of means for sensing the group designation while the record is stationary, said means including vertically movable designation registering members, vertically movable pins for sensing the said record situated parallel to said designation registering members, said members and sensing pins bein arranged in collateral rows, transversely shdable testing bars for each row of pins and members, transversely slidable locking bars for each row of pins and members, setting mechanism for said ins and members, an operable connection etween said locking bars and setting mechanism, other sensing means for sensing the data on the record while the record is sta tionary, and mechanism actuated by said designation registering members and controlling said second mentioned sensing means and having the dual purpose of taking a total automatically either on the omission or addition of a perforation in the group designation, as set forth.

3. A statistical, calculating and like machine controlled by mechanical records of the kind indicated having means for sensing the data on the record in combination with other means for sensing the group designation comprising aseparate unit attachable to said machine and adjustable transversely to the line of feed and including a frame comprising side and cross plates, vertically movable designation members in said cross plates, vertically movable pins for sensing said record in said cross plates and situated parallel to said registering members and being arranged in collateral rows therewith, setting mechanism including a' transversely disposed and vertically movable plate associated with said pins and members, vertically spring pressed lifting plates normally under tension to hold the vertically movable plate in its lowered position, transversely slidable testing barsin said frame and adjacent each row of members and pins, transversely slidable locking bars in said frame for coacting with the members, and operable connections between the locking bars and the side plates of the lifting mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. A statistical, calculating and like ma- 7725 chine-as claimed in claim 1, wherein the testing means includes bars having notched end acting on the upper parts of the pins for normally pressing the remaining parts downwards. v

6. A statistical ca'lculatin and like machine as claimed in claim 3', wherein the designation registering members are provided with projections which extend between the pins, the locking and testing bars being provided with slots for coacting with projectio'ns and the pins being provided also with slots for receiving, at times, the projections which coact with the testing bars. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR THOMAS. 

